Morphologic and metabolic change is a known property of the adult brain. A number of behavioural tasks alter local cerebral blood flow and glucose utilisation. The expression of the glucose transporter 1 (GLUT1), which allows the entry of glucose to the brain, also has been shown to change in response to long-lasting neuronal activation. However, little is known about the effect of acute neuronal activation on GLUT1 expression. Using immunohistochemistry and Western blot, we investigated cerebral GLUT1 expression and vasculature density in mice undergoing a 48-hour voluntary wheel running period. The results showed that the striatum was the main region where GLUT1 protein was up-regulated: There was a trend for GLUT1 expression and blood vessels density to be associated with the distance run during the experiment. These results indicate that short-term increased neuronal activation is associated with rapid changes in glucose transport and possibly vascular remodelling.

Morphologic and metabolic change is a known property of the adult brain. A number of behavioural tasks alter local cerebral blood flow and glucose utilisation. The expression of the glucose transporter 1 (GLUT1), which allows the entry of glucose to the brain, also has been shown to change in response to long-lasting neuronal activation. However, little is known about the effect of acute neuronal activation on GLUT1 expression. Using immunohistochemistry and Western blot, we investigated cerebral GLUT1 expression and vasculature density in mice undergoing a 48-hour voluntary wheel running period. The results showed that the striatum was the main region where GLUT1 protein was up-regulated: There was a trend for GLUT1 expression and blood vessels density to be associated with the distance run during the experiment. These results indicate that short-term increased neuronal activation is associated with rapid changes in glucose transport and possibly vascular remodelling.

Morphologic and metabolic change is a known property of the adult brain. A number of behavioural tasks alter local cerebral blood flow and glucose utilisation. The expression of the glucose transporter 1 (GLUT1), which allows the entry of glucose to the brain, also has been shown to change in response to long-lasting neuronal activation. However, little is known about the effect of acute neuronal activation on GLUT1 expression. Using immunohistochemistry and Western blot, we investigated cerebral GLUT1 expression and vasculature density in mice undergoing a 48-hour voluntary wheel running period. The results showed that the striatum was the main region where GLUT1 protein was up-regulated: There was a trend for GLUT1 expression and blood vessels density to be associated with the distance run during the experiment. These results indicate that short-term increased neuronal activation is associated with rapid changes in glucose transport and possibly vascular remodelling.

Dissertation (Ph.D.) -- University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center at Dallas, 2008. / Vita. Bibliography: p. 174-213.

Polysialic acid is a unique carbohydrate that decorates the surface of the neural cell adhesion molecule. Polysialic acid is an onco-developmental antigen, expressed in tumours principally of neuroendocrine origin, notably neuroblastoma, strongly correlating with invasion and metastasis. Polysialylation is regulated by two polysialyltransferase enzymes, PST (ST8SiaIV) and STX (ST8SiaII), with STX dominant in cancer. Post-development polysialic acid expression is only found at low levels in the brain, thus this could be a novel target for cancer therapy. It is hypothesized that inhibition of polysialyltransferase could lead to control of tumour dissemination and metastasis. The aims of this thesis were to develop tools and in vitro assays to screen novel polysialyltransferase inhibitors. A panel of tumour cell lines were characterised in terms of growth parameters (using the MTT assay) and polysialic acid expression. This includes a pair of isogenic C6 rat glioma cells (C6-STX and C6-WT) and naturally polysialic acid expressing neuroblastoma cells (SH-SY5Y). Following this, an in vitro assay was validated to screen modulation of polysialic acid expression by removing pre-existing polysialic acid expression using endoneuraminidase N and evaluated the amount of re-expression of polysialic acid using immunocytochemistry. Then, a functional assay was developed and validated for invasion, the matrigel invasion assay. Cytidine monophosphate (tool compound) significantly reduced polysialic acid surface expression and invasion. A panel of six novel polysialyltransferase inhibitors was screened for cytotoxicity, polysialic acid surface expression and invasion. Of the potential polysialyltransferase inhibitors evaluated, ICT3176 and ICT3172 were identified from virtual screening of Maybridge library and were emerged as the most promising inhibitors, demonstrating significant (p < 0.05) reduction in cell-surface polysialic acid re-expression and invasion in polysialic acid expressing cells. Furthermore, the specificity of compounds for polysialyltransferase (α-2,8-sialyltransferase) over other members of the wider sialyltransferase family (α-2,3- and α-2,6-sialyltransferases) was confirmed using differential lectin staining. These results demonstrated that small molecule inhibitors as STX is possible and provides suitable in vitro cell based assays to discovery more potent derivatives.

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento CientÃfico e TecnolÃgico / CoordenaÃÃo de AperfeiÃoamento de Pessoal de NÃvel Superior / O influxo celular (IC) à sinÃvia participa na fisiopatologia da artrite reumatÃide (AR). Hà controvÃrsias sobre o papel do Ãxido nÃtrico (NO) na modulaÃÃo do influxo de neutrÃfilos para sÃtios inflamatÃrios, seja reduzindo ou estimulando-o. Esse trabalho investigou o efeito de inibidores de Ãxido nÃtrico sintase (NOS) sobre o IC agudo em animais submetidos à artrite ou peritonite induzida por zymosan (AZy ou PZy) ou lipopolissacarÃdeo (ALPS ou PLPS), bem como a participaÃÃo de leucotrieno B4 (LTB4) e da molÃcula de adesÃo intercelular -1 (ICAM-1). Ratos Wistar receberam 10-1000 micrograma de Zy ou 1-10 micrograma de LPS intra-articular (i.a.). Outros grupos receberam 1 mg de Zy ou 10 Âg de LPS intraperitoneal (i.p.). Camundongos selvagens ou geneticamente manipulados (knock out) para ICAM-1 (ICAM-1-/-) receberam 100 Âg de Zy i.a. ou i.p. Esquema dos prÃ-tratamentos (30 minutos antes da artrite ou peritonite): na AZy, L-NAME (1-30 mg/kg; i.p. ou 0,3-1 micromol; i.a), 1400W (1 mg/kg; i.p.) ou Aminoguanidina (Amino) (50 mg/kg; i.p.) em ratos e camundongos receberam L-NAME (3-10 mg/kg;i.p.) ou NG-nitro-L-arginia (Nitro) (50 mg/kg; i.p.). Na PZy, L-NAME (10-30 mg/kg; s.c. ou i.p.) ou 1400W (1 mg/kg; s.c.) foi administrado em ratos e camundongos receberam L-NAME (30 mg/kg; s.c.) ou Nitro (50 mg/kg; s.c.). Na ALPS, ratos receberam L-NAME (10-30 mg/kg; i.p) e, na PLPS, L-NAME (30 mg/kg; s.c.). Controles receberam veÃculo (grupos NT). ApÃs o sacrifÃcio, foram quantificados o IC e LTB4 nos lavados articulares e peritoneais. Na AZy (10-100 micrograma) em ratos, L-NAME (1-3 mg) reduziu o IC (47,4 - 76,6%), quando comparado aos animais NT (p<0,05). Na AZy 1mg, L-NAME (30 mg), 1400W (1 mg) e Amino (50 mg) diminuÃram o IC (57,4%, 74,8% e 76,6%) (p<0,05). L-NAME (0,3 micromol) i.a. tambÃm reduziu o IC (85,3%) (p<0,05). Semelhante aos ratos, camundongos prÃ-tratados com L-NAME (3-10 mg) ou Nitro (50 mg) apresentaram diminuiÃÃo do IC (67,6%, 53,8% e 39,5%) (p<0,05). Contrariamente, na PZy, L-NAME (10-30 mg) e 1400W (1 mg) aumentaram o IC (566,7%, 495,1% e 470,7%) em ratos e L-NAME (30 mg), em camundongos (155,8%) (p<0,05). Nesses, Nitro aumentou o IC, mas nÃo significativamente (p>0,05). L-NAME (10 mg) i.p. tambÃm aumentou o IC (747,6%) (p<0,05). Na ALPS, L-NAME (30 mg) diminuiu o IC nas duas doses de LPS (50,3% e 52,3%) (p<0,05). Na PLPS, L-NAME (30 mg) aumentou o IC (53,4%) (p<0,05). Os inibidores de NOS nÃo alteraram os nÃveis de LTB4. Animais ICAM-1-/- artrÃticos prÃ-tratados ou nÃo com Nitro apresentaram reduÃÃo do IC (57,8% ou 32,1%)(p<0,05). Nos ICAM-1-/- com peritonite prÃ-tratados ou nÃo com Nitro, houve uma reduÃÃo do IC (9,5% e 22,3%), mas nÃo significativa (p>0,05). O NO, particularmente o produzido pela NOSi, reduz o IC agudo na articulaÃÃo, enquanto que o incrementa no peritÃneo. Esse efeito à independente do estÃmulo, da espÃcie, da via de administraÃÃo e da liberaÃÃo de LTB4, alÃm de envolver cÃlulas residentes e/ou migradas. ICAM-1 parece participar do IC nesses modelos, especialmente na artrite, com o NO modulando sua expressÃo na peritonite. / Cell influx (CI) to synovium participates in physiopathology of rheumatoid arthritis (RA). There are controversies about the nitric oxide (NO) action in modulation of neutrophil influx to inflammatory sites, with NO decreasing or increasing it. This study investigated the effect of nitric oxide synthase (NOS) inhibitors on acute CI in animals submitted to arthritis or peritonitis induced by zymosan (ZyA or ZyP) or lipopolysaccharide (LPSA or LPSP), and the participation of leukotriene B4 (LTB4) and intercellular adhesion molecule -1 (ICAM-1). Rats Wistar received Zy (10-1000 micrograme) or LPS (1-10 micrograme) intraarticular (i.a.). Other groups received Zy (1 mg) or LPS (10 Âg) intraperitoneal (i.p.). Wild or ICAM-1-deficient (ICAM-1-/-) mice received Zy (100 Âg) i.a. or i.p. Animals were pre-treated (30 minutes before arthritis or peritonitis): in ZyA, rats received L-NAME (1-30 mg/kg; i.p. or 0.3-1 micromol; i.a), 1400W (1 mg/kg; i.p.) or Aminoguanidine (Amino) (50 mg/kg; i.p.). Mice received L-NAME (3-10 mg/kg;i.p.) or NG-nitro-L-arginine (Nitro) (50 mg/kg; i.p.). In ZyP, L-NAME (10-30 mg/kg; s.c. or i.p.) or 1400W (1 mg/kg; s.c.) was administrated in rats and mice received L-NAME (30 mg/kg; s.c.) or Nitro (50 mg/kg; s.c.). In LPSA, rats received L-NAME (10-30 mg/kg; i.p) and, in LPSP, they received L-NAME (30 mg/kg; s.c.). Controls received vehicle (NT groups). After sacrifice, CI was counted and LTB4 was measured in articular and peritoneal exudates. In ZyA (10-100 Âg), L-NAME (1-3 mg) reduced CI (47.4 â 76.6%) as compared to NT animals (p<0.05). In ZyA (1mg), L-NAME (30 mg), 1400W (1mg) and Amino (50 mg) reduced CI (57.4%, 74.8% and 76.6%, respectively) (p<0.05). L-NAME (0.3 Âmol) i.a. also reduced CI (85.3%) (p<0.05). Similarly, L-NAME (3-10 mg) or Nitro (50 mg) pre-treated mice showed a CI reduction (67.6%, 53.8% and 39.5%) (p<0.05). In contrast, in ZyP, L-NAME (10-30 mg) and 1400W (1 mg) increased CI (566.7%, 495.1% and 470.7%, respectively) in rats and L-NAME (30 mg) in mice (155.8%) (p<0.05). In mice, Nitro increased CI, but not significantly (p>0.05). L-NAME (10 mg) i.p. also increased CI (747.6%) (p<0.05). In LPSA, L-NAME (30 mg) decreased CI in two LPS doses (50.3% and 52.3%) (p<0.05). In LPSP, L-NAME (30 mg) increased the influx (53.4%) (p<0.05). NOS inhibitors didnât change LTB4 levels. Arthritic pre-treated or not with Nitro ICAM-1-/- animals showed a CI reduction (57.8% or 32.1%)(p<0.05). In peritonitis, pre-treated or not with Nitro ICAM-1-/- showed a CI reduction (9.5% and 22.3%), but not significantly (p>0.05). NO, especially that produced by iNOS, reduces the acute CI in articulation while increases it in the peritoneum. This effect is independent of stimulus, species, route of administration and LTB4 liberation. Beyond, it involves resident and/or migrated cells. ICAM-1 appears to participate in CI in these models, especially in arthritis. Besides, NO modulates the expression of ICAM-1 in peritonitis.

Morphologic and metabolic change is a known property of the adult brain. A number of behavioural tasks alter local cerebral blood flow and glucose utilisation. The expression of the glucose transporter 1 (GLUT1), which allows the entry of glucose to the brain, also has been shown to change in response to long-lasting neuronal activation. However, little is known about the effect of acute neuronal activation on GLUT1 expression. Using immunohistochemistry and Western blot, we investigated cerebral GLUT1 expression and vasculature density in mice undergoing a 48-hour voluntary wheel running period. The results showed that the striatum was the main region where GLUT1 protein was up-regulated: There was a trend for GLUT1 expression and blood vessels density to be associated with the distance run during the experiment. These results indicate that short-term increased neuronal activation is associated with rapid changes in glucose transport and possibly vascular remodelling.

Polysialic acid is aunique carbohydrate that decorates the surface of the neural cell adhesion molecule. Polysialic acidis an onco-developmental antigen, expressed in tumours principally of neuroendocrine origin, notably neuroblastoma,strongly correlating with invasion and metastasis. Polysialylation is regulated by two polysialyltransferase enzymes, PST(ST8SiaIV)and STX(ST8SiaII),withSTX dominant in cancer. Post-development polysialic acid expression is only found at low levels in the brain, thus this could be a novel target for cancer therapy. It is hypothesized that inhibition of polysialyltransferasecould lead to control of tumour dissemination and metastasis.The aims of this thesis were to develop tools and in vitro assays to screen novel polysialyltransferaseinhibitors. A panel of tumour cell lines were characterised in terms of growth parameters (using the MTT assay) and polysialic acid expression. This includes a pair of isogenic C6 rat glioma cells (C6-STX and C6-WT) and naturally polysialic acid expressing neuroblastoma cells(SH-SY5Y). Following this, an in vitro assay was validated to screen modulation of polysialic acid expression by removing pre-existing polysialic acid expression using endoneuraminidase N and evaluated the amount of re-expression of polysialic acid using immunocytochemistry. Then, a functional assay was developed and validated for invasion, the matrigel invasion assay. Cytidine monophosphate (tool compound) significantly reduced polysialic acidsurface expression and invasion. A panel of six novel polysialyltransferase inhibitors was screened for cytotoxicity, polysialic acidsurface expression and invasion. Of the potential polysialyltransferase inhibitorsevaluated, ICT3176 and ICT3172 were identified from virtual screening of Maybridge library and were emerged as the most promising inhibitors, demonstrating significant (p<0.05)reduction in cell-surface polysialic acidre-expression and invasion in polysialic acid expressing cells.Furthermore, the specificity of compounds for polysialyltransferase (α-2,8-sialyltransferase) over othermembers of the wider sialyltransferase family (α-2,3-and α-2,6-sialyltransferases) was confirmed using differential lectin staining. These results demonstrated that small molecule inhibitors as STX is possible and provides suitable in vitrocell based assays to discovery more potent derivatives.

Cirka 300 000 individer drabbas årligen i världen av oral cancer och mer än nittio procent av alla orala cancerformer utgörs av skivepitelcancer. Den femåriga prognosen är generellt 50 % och den 5-åriga relativa överlevnaden har under en tioårsperiod förblivit densamma. Detta motiverar utvecklingen av bättre prognostiska markörer och diagnostiska metoder för att tidigt identifiera de patienter som har risk att utveckla oral skivepitelcancer för att förbättra prognosen och minska lidandet genom tidig insatt behandling. β-catenin är en adhesionsmolekyl som är viktig för bibehållandet av cellulär integration och avvikelser i celladhesionsmolekyler tros spela en central roll när tumörceller invaderar närliggande vävnad det vill säga metastaserar till andra organ.Syftet med studien är att med hjälp av immunohistokemi undersöka om β-catenin kan fungera som en prognostisk markör för utvecklingen av oral skivepitelcancer. Detta görs genom att jämföra förekomsten av β-catenin med hjälp av monoklonala antikroppar i normalt skivepitel, dysplasi och cancer från 18 patienter som har diagnostiserats med oral skivepitelcancer. Infärgningen av Beta catenin jämfördes i normalt oralt skivepitel med cancer och dysplasi för alla biopsier för att undersöka om det förekommer någon skillnad av infärgningen. Förutom detta skedde även en jämförelse av normalt skivepitel med dysplasi och cancer inom varje enskild biopsi.Resultaten visade att det finns en skillnad i uttrycket av β-catenin i normalt skivepitel jämfört med dysplasi och cancer i denna patientgrupp. I denna studie visade mer än 70 % av biopsierna en stark eller måttlig och stark infärgning av β-catenin i normalt skivepitel, mer än 60 % av biopsierna visade en måttlig eller måttlig och svag infärgning av dysplasi och 58,8 % av alla biopsier visade svag infärgning eller ingen och svag infärgning av skivepitelcancer. Då studien visar att mängden av β-catenin är starkast i normalt oralt skivepitel, måttligt i dysplasi och svagast i cancer tyder detta på att β-catenin skulle kunna vara en viktig faktor i utvecklingen av skivepitelcancer i munhålan vilket stämmer väl överens med resultat från andra studier. / Approximately 300,000 individuals are affected every year in the world of oral cancer and more than ninety percent of all oral cancers consists of squamous cell carcinoma. The five-year prognosis is generally 50 % and the 5-year relative survival has over ten years remained the same. This motivates the development of better prognostic markers and diagnostic methods for the early identification of patients at risk of developing oral squamous cell carcinoma to improve prognosis and reduce the suffering of these patients with early treatment.β-catenin is an adhesion molecule that is important for the maintenance of cellular integration and abnormalities of cell adhesion molecules is thought to play a central role in tumorigenesis. The abnormalites is though to enhance tumour cells to break loose from neighbouring cells and invade nearby tissues and organs, however the exact mechanisms are unknown. The purpose of the study is that using immunohistochemistry to examine whether β-catenin may serve as a prognostic marker for the development of oral squamous cell carcinoma. This is done by examining the presence of β-catenin with monoclonal antibodies in 18 biopsies with normal squamous epithelia, dysplasia and cancer from 18 patients diagnosed with oral squamous cell carcinoma from the department of Oral Pathology at Malmö Högskola, Malmö. The staining of beta catenin was compared in normal oral squamous cancer and dysplasia for all biopsies to see whether there is any difference of dyeing. Besides this, there was also a comparison of normal squamous epithelium with dysplasia and cancer in each biopsy.The results showed that there is a difference in the expression of β-catenin in normal squamous epithelium, dysplasia and cancer in this population. In this study, more than 70 % of the biopsies expressed a strong or moderate and strong staining of β -catenin in normal oral squamous epithelium, more than 60 % of the biopsies showed a moderate or moderate and weak staining of dysplasia and 58.8 % of all biopsies showed weak or no staining and weak staining of squamous cell carcinoma.As the study shows that the amount of β -catenin is strongest in normal oral squamous epithelium, moderate in dysplasia and weakest in cancer, this suggests that β -catenin could be an important factor in the development of squamous cell carcinoma of the oral cavity which is in line with results from other studies.

La perturbation de la barrière hémo-encéphalique et la migration des lymphocytes de la périphérie vers le système nerveux central (SNC) sont des événements précoces dans la formation des lésions cérébrales de sclérose en plaques (SEP). Dans ce contexte, les lymphocytes passent au travers des barrières hémo-encéphalique ou hémo-méningée pour atteindre le SNC et sont des contributeurs importants dans l’inflammation et les dommages tissulaires. Pour migrer à travers les barrières du SNC, les lymphocytes pathogéniques expriment des molécules d’adhérence. Identifier les acteurs clés à la migration des lymphocytes pathogéniques en estimant la contribution des molécules d’adhérence dans ce processus est la prochaine étape pour le développement de thérapies pour traiter la SEP. L’objectif de ce projet est d’explorer le rôle de deux molécules d’adhérence que sont ALCAM (de l’anglais : activated leukocytes cell adhesion molecule) et DICAM (de l’anglais : dual immunoglobulin domain containing cell adhesion molecule) dans la migration des lymphocytes pathogéniques vers le SNC pendant la SEP. Notre objectif principal se subdivise en deux sous-objectifs. En premier, notre but est de caractériser le rôle d’ALCAM dans le passage des lymphocytes B à travers les barrières du SNC dans un contexte neuroinflammatoire. En second, nous explorons le rôle de DICAM dans la migration des lymphocytes T auxiliaires 17 (TH17) vers le SNC en neuroinflammation. Nous faisons l’hypothèse qu’ALCAM contribue à la migration des lymphocytes B vers le SNC et que DICAM est impliqué dans la migration des lymphocytes TH17 à travers la barrière hémo-encéphalique pendant la SEP. Ces molécules d’adhérence seraient alors impliquées dans la pathogenèse de la SEP et seraient de potentielles cibles thérapeutiques pour traiter cette maladie. Nous avons d’abord utilisé une combinaison de spectrométrie de masse, PCR quantitative, cytométrie de flux et microscopie afin d’explorer l’expression de chacune de ses deux molécules d’adhérence sur les lymphocytes d’intérêt périphériques ex vivo ou différenciés in vitro. Des analyses en cytométrie en flux et microscopie nous ont permis de caractériser leur expression dans le sang périphérique et dans les lésions cérébrales de personnes atteintes de SEP. Ensuite, les expériences d’adhérence en flux et de migration in vitro effectuées en déplétant la molécule d’adhérence d’intérêt ont permis de mettre en évidence leur rôle dans différentes étapes de la migration des lymphocytes à travers les cellules endothéliales des barrières du SNC. Pour finir, le traitement de plusieurs modèles murins de SEP, appelés EAE (de l’anglais : experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis), avec des anticorps bloquant anti-ALCAM ou anti-DICAM ont permis d’explorer le potentiel effet de tels traitements sur la sévérité de la maladie. Dans la première étude, nos résultats montrent qu’ALCAM est préférentiellement exprimée par les lymphocytes B pro-inflammatoires, mémoires et effecteurs au potentiel pathogénique. En tant que molécule d’adhérence, ALCAM contribue à leur migration à travers les cellules endothéliales des barrières hémo-encéphalique et hémo-méningée chez la souris et l’humain. De plus, nos expériences ont permis de montrer que la fréquence de lymphocytes B ALCAM+ est augmentée dans le sang périphérique des personnes atteintes de SEP et ces cellules sont aussi présentes dans les lésions et les infiltrats méningées en SEP. Finalement, bloquer ALCAM in vivo réduit la sévérité de la maladie EAE en diminuant l’infiltration des lymphocytes B au SNC. Dans la seconde étude, nous avons montré que parmi les sous-types de lymphocytes TH, DICAM est préférentiellement exprimée par les lymphocytes TH17. Dans les lésions de SEP, DICAM et son ligand αVβ3 co-localisent avec des marqueurs de cellules endothéliales suggérant que ces deux molécules pourraient être présentées à la lumière des vaisseaux aux lymphocytes TH17 circulants. Dans le sang périphérique, la fréquence de lymphocytes T CD4+ exprimant DICAM est augmentée chez les personnes atteintes de SEP et cette augmentation corrèle avec l’activité de la maladie. Nos expériences ont montré que DICAM est impliquée dans l’adhérence, l’arrêt et la diapédèse des lymphocytes TH17 à travers les cellules endothéliales de la barrière hémo-encéphalique in vitro et in vivo. Finalement, le traitement de souris EAE avec un anticorps bloquant DICAM permet de réduire la sévérité de la maladie et diminue la migration des lymphocytes TH17 vers le SNC. Nos résultats indiquent un rôle d’ALCAM dans la migration des lymphocytes B et que DICAM, préférentiellement exprimé par les TH17, médie leur migration vers le SNC. Bloquer ALCAM ou DICAM sont deux stratégies permettant de réduire l’accès au SNC de différents sous-types de cellules pathogéniques pendant la neuroinflammation. Ainsi, elles sont toutes deux de potentielles cibles thérapeutiques pour réduire la sévérité et la progression de la SEP. / Disruption of the blood-brain barrier and migration of lymphocytes from the periphery to the central nervous system (CNS) are early events in lesion formation during multiple sclerosis (MS). Lymphocytes readily cross the blood-brain barrier (BBB) and the blood-meningeal barrier (BMB) to infiltrate the CNS and are important contributors to inflammation and tissue damage. To migrate through the brain barriers, pathogenic lymphocytes express adhesion molecules. Identifying key players in lymphocyte migration by understanding the role of adhesion molecules is the next step to develop novel therapies to treat MS. The objective of this project is to explore the role of two distinct adhesion molecules ALCAM (activated leukocytes cell adhesion molecule) and DICAM (dual immunoglobulin domain containing cell adhesion molecule) in pathogenic lymphocytes migration to the CNS during MS. This thesis subdivides in two main objectives. First, we aim to characterize ALCAM role in B lymphocyte migration to the CNS during neuroinflammation. Second, we aim to explore DICAM role in T helper 17 (TH17) lymphocytes migration to the CNS in neuroinflammation. We hypothesized that ALCAM plays a role in B lymphocytes migration to the CNS during MS and that DICAM is involved in TH17 lymphocytes migration through the blood-brain barrier during MS. Those adhesion molecules might be involved in MS pathogenesis and therefore could become new therapeutic targets to treat MS. We first used mass spectrometry, quantitative PCR, flow cytometry and confocal microscopy to explore expression profiles of ALCAM and DICAM by peripheral lymphocytes subpopulations ex vivo and differentiated in vitro. Flow cytometry and confocal microscopy analysis also revealed how those adhesion molecules are expressed by lymphocytes in peripheral blood and brain lesions of people living with MS. Then, we performed flow adhesion and migration assay of lymphocytes depleted for the adhesion molecule of interest allowing us to address their role in multitstep migration process through brain barriers endothelial cells. Finally, using five distinct murine experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis models (EAE), we explored how blocking ALCAM or DICAM in vivo could affect lymphocytes migration to the SNC and disease severity. In the first manuscript, we described that ALCAM is preferentially expressed by B lymphocytes with memory, pro-inflammatory and effector phenotypes. Functionally, ALCAM is involved in B lymphocyte migration through both the BBB and the BMB in mouse and human. Interestingly, we showed that ALCAM expressing B lymphocytes are increased in peripheral blood of people living with MS and they are recovered in meningeal and parenchymal MS lesions. Last, blocking ALCAM in vivo alleviates EAE severity by reducing B lymphocyte infiltration to the CNS. In the second manuscript, we showed that TH17 lymphocytes preferentially express DICAM and can adhere both to DICAM and its ligand αVβ3. Moreover, DICAM and αVβ3 are both overexpressed by inflamed brain endothelial cells. In MS lesions, we described that both molecules colocalize with endothelial cell markers suggesting that it could be presented to the vessel lumen to the circulating TH17 lymphocytes. In peripheral blood, we showed that DICAM+ memory CD4+ T lymphocytes frequency is increased in people living with MS and it correlates with active form of the disease. Then, we described DICAM as a player in TH17 lymphocyte adhesion, arrest and migration through BBB endothelial cells in vitro and in vivo. Last, we showed that treating mice with a neutralizing DICAM antibody in several distinct models of EAE, reduced disease severity and TH17 cell migration to the SNC. Our data provide evidence of the role of ALCAM in memory B lymphocyte migration and that DICAM is preferentially expressed by TH17 cells and mediate their migration to the CNS during neuroinflammation. Collectively, our findings indicate that blocking ALCAM or DICAM are two ways to restrict different pathogenic cells access to the CNS during neuroinflammation and thus potentially to reduce the severity and worsening of a disease like MS.